


Vows

by fractalbright



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Car Accidents, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-18
Updated: 2013-08-18
Packaged: 2017-12-23 19:03:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fractalbright/pseuds/fractalbright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mai remembers the day her life came crashing down around her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vows

Mai remembers the day her life came crashing down around her; the day she was certain Zuko was lost to her forever.

* * *

She feels like the burgundy walls of their living room are closing in on her.

It was late and she had been sitting on the sofa tensely, waiting for Zuko to return from work. She sits with just the lamp off, casting odd shadows on her face. She leans with her elbows on her thighs, delicate fingers with chipping nail polish –a nervous habit she thought her mother weaned her off when she was a girl– folded neatly beneath her nose as she glowers at the coffee table. Outside, a storm mirroring the turmoil inside her is relentless. The crashing thunder echoes the presumptions bouncing off the inside of her skull; the flashing, irregular strokes lightning reflect her feelings, sharp and fast throughout her system.

Exhaling shakily, Mai straightens up and reaches for her tea, slowly taking a sip.

Lately, Zuko's late comings haven't exactly been an unusual occurrence. Upon taking over the family company, cleaning up the corporate wreckage Ozai left in his wake would take long. Mai understands that.

The clock that hung on the wall ticks patronizingly, mocking her.

Regardless, Zuko never fails to call home to inform her he'll be arriving late and not to wait up. He usually makes this call early in the evening at around 6:30.

Mai glances at her phone, sitting harmlessly by her side on the sofa. She reaches over and presses a button. The familiar image of a sunburnt passed out Zuko covered in sand and seaweed at the beach lights up, illuminating her face and allowing the crease in her forehead and the frown on her usually impassive face to become visible. Her eyes tighten slightly as the time-stamp glares back at her. 8:57PM.

She taps the screen impatiently, looking at the slightly pixelated lines of his faintly red, but otherwise flawless face. Sighing, she picks up the phone and flips through her contact list until she finds the right number.

"Aang here," comes the familiar voice in an unfamiliar tone. He sounds distracted. Mai is rarely on the opposite end when talking to Aang while he works.

"Aang, is Zuko around?" She cuts to the chase, far too agitated to remember her manners.

"Mai? Oh, hey! Nah, he left a while ago, actually." Mai's insides ran cold, ice creeping through her system slowly.

"Are you sure?" She implores, grasping the phone tightly in her had while she rises and begins pacing.

"Yeeeahhh, I saw him leave… is everything okay?"

Mai's breath stops short before three sharp knocks on the front door calls her attention. For a split second, hope engulfs Mai like the next flash of lightning, before it diminishes just as quickly. Zuko comes in through the garage door and seldom uses the front entrance. She could probably count on one hand the amount of times he used it.

Gathering the remains of her shaky composure, Mai schools her face into an expression of boredom before answering.

Unprepared for the onslaught of rain pelting against her face, she squints her pale gold eyes to focus on the looming figure in her door. An officer…?

Quickly ushering the authority figure into the house, she shuts the door and gazes at the man expectantly as his soaked through uniform drips on the dark hardwood flooring. "Can I help you?" She asks drily, though her insides are churning.

"Are you Mrs. Huo?" The officer standing stiffly on her front patio asks, soaked by the pouring rain. He was trying to remain impassive, but failing.

"Yes, what of it?" Mai replies, feigning nonchalance as she leans against the door frame, one arm crossed defensively over her chest while the other hand grips tightly the phone she failed to disconnect. Faintly, she hears Aang's muffled voice calling her name. "Mai? Mai, are you there? I hear voices—"

Her stoic expression masks the swirling emotions within her. What's going on…?

Unnerved by her posture, the officer tugs the end of his ponytail nervously, his blue eyes scanning the house, looking everywhere except Mai's face. Eventually, he inhales deeply before catching her gaze.

"Your husband is in critical condition in the hospital; he was caught in a high speed collision."

Eyes widening ever so slightly, Mai felt the impact of the phone hitting the hardwood and the battery snapping out as it bounces haphazardly, shutting Aang up.

Mai is falling.

* * *

Hydroplaning.

The officer, Sokka, watches the woman stare blankly ahead of her in the emergency waiting room as the officer explained what had happened. She tugs her turtle necked sweater higher up her neck before crossing her arms over her chest. He watches as she shakes her head, her thin hand coming up to grasp the bridge of her nose.

Her hand is shaking.

This wasn't usually what Sokka was used to dealing with. Tears, he could handle marginally well. Screaming? Sure, why not. Nothing a little touch love couldn't fix. Blatant denial? Bring it.

But this? Shutting down? This wasn't something he'd ever encountered before. Part of him hopes that Mrs. Huo is shutting down and rather than not giving a rat's ass about man fighting for his life on the operating table.

Sokka immediately abolishes the thought. Of course she cares. Said man is her husband, after all.

The officer witnessed the ordeal. Mr. Huo had slammed on his breaks after another driver on the highway merged unsafely between lanes, and consequently ended up losing control of the entire vehicle.

His wheels were bald, he later explains to the unresponsive woman beside him.

Mr. Huo had attempted to swerve out of the way to avoid being hit, but also lost control of the car. It was a futile attempt, the oncoming vehicle slammed into the side of his car at unimaginable speeds. The sounds of screeching metal and a crash set apart from the roaring thunder resonate in the officer's mind. He remembers watching in stark horror as the red sedan skid and spun in circles across the highway before flipping over three times into a ditch, looking like scrap metal at this point.

The smoke started to emerge from the vehicle and shit went from bad to worse.

A similar fate happened to the other driver. However, he died on spot.

He shudders as the memory flashes through his mind. He looks to the woman and tries to figure out a way to comfort the poor girl.

"Uh, ma'am?" He asks hesitantly. Her eyes snap to his in a glare, though she seems unfocused.

"Yes?" She demands, her eyes hard as steel.

Sokka splutters, a tinge of pink barely appearing on his tanned skin. "Um, well… is there anything I can do to help? Any phone calls I can–"

"You can help by shutting your mouth."

Sokka immediately obeys and focuses on the report he has to fill out.

* * *

She has been waiting for hours.

Turning her phone around in her hands, Mai inhales the antiseptic, sterilized scent that defines a medical facility, then releases it unsteadily. With the shudder still coursing through her, she leans her head against wall, closing her eyes against the florescence that left the waiting room exposed and naked. Her eyes ache and her head throbs in her efforts to prevent the tears from flowing.

Crying won't help Zuko. Stop that.

Mai wants to cry though. She wants so badly to break down and seek solace in another, even though the only person she would expose herself to in such a way was on the brink of life or—

No, he's going to be fine. He's going to be fine; he's going to be fine, he's-going-to-be-fine…

She takes another breath, wishing she had some tea to help. Or better, Zuko's uncle, Iroh. He was across the country, travelling and living out his days. Mai doesn't call him yet, she doesn't want to worry the man.

If… If Zuko didn't make it, she would call him. Uncle had already lost a son; he didn't need to relive that pain anytime soon.

Right, Zuko? Think of Uncle. He would be devastated if you die. You better stay alive. She tries not to think of what Uncle's reaction whenever she got around to telling him. Surely, he would understand her reasoning...

Mai is startled by her phone coming to life in her hands, vibrating as Aang's name flashed across the screen for the umpteenth time. She chooses not to ignore him this time.

"Hello, Aang." She says, her voice coming out raspier than usual.

"Finally! I've been trying to get a hold of you f—"

"I know."

"—or a while now; oh. Well, what's wrong? You didn't sound okay before,"

Mai forces out what sounds like a cross between a sob and laugh, her head throbbing as she shakes it slightly.

"Zuko's been in a car accident. He's in surgery now."

Aang is silent. "Are you at Kyoshi General Hospital?"

"Yes."

"Katara and I will be there soon, stay put."

"Aang, wait-"

"Yeah?"

"…Drive safely, okay? It's dangerous out there."

"Y-yeah, of course. I'll see you soon." He hangs up, leaving Mai alone with her thoughts once more.

Mai tries to imagine a world without her husband. They had broken up before, when they were younger and stupid.

No, Zuko was stupid. Mai corrects herself, well aware of her feeble attempts to distract herself.

Having him gone from her life permanently is a different matter altogether. She loves him; her husband, best friend, closest confidant.

Mai chokes out a laugh, hunching forward to wrap her arms around her torso. He wasn't allowed to leave her. Not yet. Not until they were old, greying and senile.

A voice suddenly cuts through the silence.

"Mrs. Huo?"

She glances up, eyes widening frantically she stares at the splattering of blood on the surgeon's scrubs. Mai is on her feet in seconds, silently demanding the answer that would change her life irreversibly.

"Yes?" Her voice breaks, and she hates herself for it.

"Your husband's surgery was a success and he is now in a stable condition; however, it's too early to determine his prognosis just yet, but so far, everything looks good."

The relief floods through Mai's system like a gentle wave. It clears away the rough edges of her anxiety, leaving her feeling smooth and pleasantly lethargic.

She gapes as the breath whooshes out of her, leaving her breathless. She stumbles backward and falls back into the chair, positively beaming at the doctor.

Zuko is alive. He's alive. They could cross any hurdle that came their way now, because Zuko was still breathing.

"But," the doctor starts, catching Mai's attention. "His injuries are serious. A fire from the accident caused major third-degree burns to the left side of his face. We've done all we can, but we don't know how his vision will be until he wakes up. Whiplash from the impact also caused him sever neck injuries and he will need physical therapy to some extent. Zuko will be kept under watch to ensure an infection doesn't occur. He's suffered a punctured lung from the impact breaking multiple ribs…"

Mai listens intently as the woman who saved her husband's life continued to list off his many injuries. She's already figured that it will be a long road to recovery, but she's more than prepared to aid him along the way.

"…luckily, his airbag system and safety belt prevented much worse damage from occurring…"

Mai feels like rolling her eyes. Zuko never used to wear his seatbelt; she had to kick the habit into him. She'd have a bone to pick with him when he woke up, for making her worry so much.

"…we doubt there will be brain damage, but again. It's too early to tell. However, he was conscious upon arriving. Lucid, even. He was speaking in sentences."

Mai looks up, happy-tears glistening in her eyes. "Did he say anything coherent?"

The doctor's blue eyes twinkle as smiles. "Are you Mai?"

"Yes."

"He kept asking for you."

A smile tugs Mai's lips as she stands up again. "He's going to be okay?" She whispers, twisting her wedding band.

The doctor falters slightly, wanting to reassure the young woman, but not wanting to accidently give false hope, either. "Like I said, it's too early to say for sure, but as of now, things are looking pretty good. Would you like to see him?"

"Yes, take me to him, please."

* * *

Upon arriving to his room, Mai's buoyant happiness leaves in nearly an instant.

Zuko looks… awful.

He lies down, slightly elevated on the hospital bed, his arms over the blankly laying neatly by his side. His skin is pierced with multiple intravenous lines, delivering fluids and medication into his system.

His pale skin is sickly, appearing nearly greyish against the pristine white sheets. Attached to him are various tubes and IVs. The breathing tube shoved deep down his throat looks anything but comfortable, but she hopes Zuko is blissfully unaware in his medically induced coma.

His head's been shaved, most likely to prevent an infection from occurring around the burn Mai has yet to witness. The bandages covering his face are fresh and wrap around nearly the entire upper part of his skull.

Oh, what Mai would give to see those golden eyes open.

She delicately sits down on the chair next to the head of the bed and gently takes his hand in hers, being careful to avoid the lines. She revels in the unnatural warmth his skin radiates, even in his fragile condition.

His heart monitor beeps steadily, indicating his survival, but it's the gentle rise and fall of his chest that comforts Mai the most.

Leaning her head forward on his pillow, she lets the tears fall, breathing shakily.

"Zuko, you idiot." She whispers, stroking an exposed spot on his scalp gently.

The monitor beeps in response.

"I love you," she says, even quieter. She's still scared, still worried and still anxious, but counting his breaths helps her calm her frazzled nerves.

He is alive, he will wake up, and he will heal. It will be a long-suffering process, but Mai promises to make sure he takes care of himself. After all, she did vow to support him in sickness and in health.


End file.
